Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Low voter turnout predicted for today

With less than 4 percent of the eligible Clark County voters casting their ballots early, candidates and election officials predicted a low turnout for today's municipal election.

Some are even predicting today's primary elections in Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas and Mesquite may have the lowest turnout of any recent election, saying that the low number of positions available and the off-election year has many voters dismissing the elections.

Exactly how many people had voted this morning was not available, although Clark County Registrar of Voters Larry Lomax said turnout had been "very slow" citywide. By 8 a.m. today, some polling places even remained empty, he said.

Low turnout is typical for elections that follow a presidential election, Lomax said.

"There's no rush, that's for sure," Lomax said. "But if we get more than 10 percent turnout in any city election, that's high. There just aren't the issues that people care about."

Polling places often are busiest early in the morning with voters casting ballots before heading to work. A lull often follows from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., before the traffic picks up with the after-work voters, he said.

"I hope more people turn out tomorrow and vote," Mary Gillins said on Monday. Gillins is one of 11 candidates competing for the Ward 6 Las Vegas City Council seat left vacant when Councilman Michael Mack declined to run.

Gillins, a legal assistant and operations manager for the Las Vegas Police Protective Association, is considered a front-runner in the race and has raised more than $160,000.

"I expect that all the support I received in the beginning of the race will turn out and vote," Gillins, a Republican candidate, said.

Only 13,562 eligible voters turned out during the two weeks of early voting in the four cities, according to the Clark County Election Department. Boulder City, which is holding an election for two City Council seats, is not holding a primary.

There are a total of 414,092 eligible voters in Clark County, meaning that 3.3 percent of the eligible voters in the county cast their ballots early, Lomax said.

Lomax, who expected a low voter turnout today, said that 50 percent of the voters who cast their ballots during the 2004 elections in Clark County voted early. During the 2002 and 2004 elections, between 43 or 44 percent of voters cast their ballots in the early voting period.

If more than 6 percent of eligible people end up voting today, it will be in the "high end," Lomax said.

Early voting ended on Friday. If a candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote in the primary, they will be declared the winner of that race. The general election, if applicable, is scheduled for June 7.

Despite the low voter turnout thus far, candidates for the Ward 6 race remained upbeat. Steve Ross, democratic candidate for the open council seat in Ward 6 and general manager Keleeco Electric, an electrical contracting company, said he is optimistic of the election today but understands that the electorate has expressed little interest so far.

The turnout during early voting is "disappointing, but it's an off-election year and there is not a lot on the ballot," he said. Ross, also considered a front-runner in the race having raised more than $149,000, was charged with domestic batter in 1991 after allegedly hitting his then-wife.

The charges were dismissed. Marlene Rogoff, who raised a little more than $10,000 -- with $8,831 coming from a self-loan -- said she is disappointed that the local media outlets have not offered the candidates debate platforms or other election-related events.

While she conceded that she is not a front-runner, she said voters in Clark County should get out and vote today. "People need to realize how important this election is. There are six city council (members) and the mayor making the decisions" that affect voter's everyday lives, she said.

Las Vegas City Council Ward 6 candidates:

Troy P. Bulloch Debbie Kitterman Burgos Jeff Crisman Mary Gillins Robert D. Glover Byron Goynes Gary L. Ratliff Marlene Rogoff Steve Ross Anthony M. "Tony" Salas Steve "Devil Dog" Sanson

Las Vegas Municipal Judge, Department 5 candidates:

Cedric Kerns (incumbent) Mat Harter

North Las Vegas Municipal Judge, Department 2 candidates:

Keith Buck Willia Chaney Marcia Daines Sean Hoeffgen Christopher Larotonda Robert Nelson-Kortland

Henderson Mayor candidates:

Jim B.Gibson (incumbent) Susan Gillean-Bedell Laurie Robinson

Henderson Muncipal Judge, Department 3 candidates:

David S. Gibson, Jr. Diana Hampton Kenneth Walter Long Michael L. Miller

Mesquite City Council candidates:

David J. Anderson Karen K. Beardsley Scott J. Fisher Susan M. Holecheck Howard "Howie" Koontz Mike J. Landsman Ted B. Miller John Paul Marco Antonio Ruelas Robert "Bubba" Smith Linda Taylor Bill Wells Kandy Zappa

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